Lolo Ntshiqa

The founder of the online thrifting marketplace Curated Fashion, assisting Peer2Peer selling of pre-owned garments, shares the valuable lessons she is learning from being a young, black, female entrepreneur in South Africa.

1. It’s not a race, it’s a marathon.

“Running a business is no smooth operation; and there is a temptation sometimes to make decisions as if you are running out of time, or try and take short-cuts in avoidance of the dirty hard work. This is a trap that I feel my generation falls for often. Unfortunately we were raised in the era of the microwave, and delayed gratification is a virtue we must acquire, especially when entering the business world. The vision for Curated Fashion came after four failed attempts with other business plans. I realized that when I slowed my pace, I could have quality creativity, and thoroughly assess my business and all its parts with a sober mind”.

2. Entrepreneurship changes who you are.

“The game of entrepreneurship transforms you as an individual. This is something that most leaders do not warn us about before we enter. The game is transformative because it forces you to expand your capacity of reasoning, problem-solving, empathizing, and consequently you begin to look at the world differently; with more maturity and clarity. During this process you may decide to have a change of lifestyle, or realize you share nothing in common with the friends or the lover who have. This is normal, and the change is beneficial in shaping you to be the kind of leader that is required to run your business successfully. Embrace the new you openly”.

3. Get back to basics.

“I realized after many failed business ideas that it is usually the most simple and elementary of ideas that become the most viable and successful. Just look at yourself and how your basic human needs are so simple. Your customers share the same basic needs, and if your business can respond to these straight-forward needs, you are on to something”.

4. It’s okay not to be okay.

“It is very common and normal for entrepreneurs to experience loneliness, depression, anxiety, or many other mental health illnesses during their journey. I have had many lonely times during the development of my e-commerce website because there were very few people who could relate to my career decision. Another contributor to my stress and anxiety was the scarceness of financial support to get me started. I know these issues are not unique to me, and many young entrepreneurs can relate. However, these are part of the highs and lows of this game, and we must try not to be so attached to our businesses that they take away our peace of mind, or take us to a dark place. Be okay with not being okay. Be okay with being broke, and having to miss out on a few events because all your money is going towards your business. Be okay with not meeting your goals in the set time. When you learn to be at peace in whatever circumstance you may find yourself in, you have the spirit to endure many other hardships that will be thrown at you in the future”.

5. Stay foolish.

“It is never a good idea to think you know everything because trust me, you will never know everything. Staying foolish allows you the space to make mistakes and learn. It also keeps you focused and on your toes, which is helpful especially in the technological world where every day, a new invention is replacing another. So my advice would be to network with other professionals often, read books about the past and the future, and ask questions as if you were a curious 5th grader”.